In October 1934, the fifth anti-"encirclement and suppression" campaign failed, and the Red Army was forced to withdraw from its base areas and began a vigorous 25,000-mile long march.

Chang Kai was so complacent that he finally summoned the Japanese minister to China, Ariyoshiaki, and openly released "Sino-Japanese friendship" remarks to foreign reporters, which aroused a burst of fever from all walks of life.

The Japanese side believed that the time was ripe, and in mid-November, it sent an inspection delegation, and when it visited China, it even proposed to upgrade the embassies of the two countries -- hoping to upgrade the legations of the two countries to embassies.

Diplomatic embassies are also divided into ranks, with embassies being the highest level and legations being the second class. Ministers can be appointed directly, while ambassadors must be appointed with the consent of the other country.

For example, Shi Zhaoji, the minister to the United States at this time, although he was conducting diplomacy in the United States on behalf of China, he did not have the right to request a meeting with President Roosevelt, let alone negotiate directly with senior American officials, unless he was authorized to do so in advance. And once the legation was upgraded to an embassy, Shi Zhaoji could request a meeting with Roosevelt and negotiate directly with the American side.

In the early 30s, the Republic of China did not seem to have an embassy in any country.

Japan obviously has great "sincerity" this time, and it can also be said that it can't wait, and upgrading the embassy can speed up the process of diplomatic negotiations.

The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs' economic support plan is also very "sincere", including:

First, to provide manpower and material assistance to China, as a "raw material supplier";

Second, Japan has to buy China's raw materials, and China has to buy Japan's industrial products;

Third, China must suppress the anti-Japanese trend;

Fourth, if China needs to borrow, Japan is willing to consider it.

In addition, Japan is also preparing to set up a 200 million yuan credit line in Shanghai to "smooth" trade between the two countries.

Chang Kaishen almost flipped the table in anger at the first glance when he saw this plan. This Nima is an "economic support", and he clearly wants to turn China into a colony, and wants to turn China into a raw material base and commodity market for Japan.

But the play still has to continue, and Chang Kaishen's acting skills can be called the actor level. Before the negotiations between the two countries officially began, he showed his sincerity in advance and began to frantically suppress the anti-Japanese movement in China, and even Zhou Hexuan's "Non-Offensive" magazine was forced to suspend publication.

Behind the scenes, Chang Kaishen sold the Japanese and asked Finance Minister Kong Xiangxi to send a secret telegram to Shi Zhaoji, the minister to the United States, claiming that Japan was willing to pay a huge amount of money to help China deal with the silver crisis and would work together to deal with the United States. He sent Japan's proposal as it was, and relayed Japan's attitude: "The Japanese believe that Western countries will never effectively assist China, and China has no choice but to turn to Japan." ”

The Japanese side also pretended to be very similar, and even launched domestic propaganda. The Osaka Mainichi Shimbun published Foreign Minister Hirota's "new policy toward China": If China is willing to turn to Japan, Japan will provide all possible financial and economic assistance to China and liberate China from all international bondage.

For a time, both China and Japan launched a political propaganda offensive of "Sino-Japanese friendship" in their respective countries.

There was no reaction from the United States, and Britain could not sit still at first, and proposed "international joint borrowing from China," hoping that Britain, the United States, France, and Japan would work together to help China overcome the silver crisis.

Japanese Foreign Minister Hirota immediately vehemently opposed it, saying that the incident should be resolved by the Asians themselves, and that European and American countries are not qualified to get involved.

While Britain and Japan are entangled, the attitude of the United States is very cold.

From August to November, Kong Xiangxi called Roosevelt five times in a row. On the first four occasions, Kong Xiangxi almost pleaded with the United States to stop buying Chinese silver. The fifth time was much tougher, perhaps Japan and Britain made Kong Xiangxi find self-confidence, and directly called Roosevelt to threaten: "If the United States still does not revise its silver policy, it will inevitably cause serious consequences." ”

The United States is still cold, has not even replied, and refuses to negotiate with China. In the end, I guessed that I was impatient, and finally called back Kong Xiangxi, but the content was all official wording and perfunctory.

Roosevelt was actually under a lot of pressure, and he held several meetings in succession, and finally came up with a compromise plan, willing to push the international silver price below $0.55 per ounce, and hoped to start negotiations with the Chinese representatives as soon as possible.

Chang Kaishen was overjoyed and immediately sent a telegram, appointing Song Ziwen as minister plenipotentiary, and letting Shi Zhaoji and Fan Heyan assist in the negotiations.

By this time, it was already Christmas, and it had dragged on for two months.

Washington, USA.

Chinese Legation in the United States.

Song Ziwen specially customized a new suit, he stood in front of the mirror to tidy up his appearance, and combed a new hairstyle angrily, ready to show his demeanor at the negotiation table between the two countries.

Suddenly, Shi Zhaoji walked into the room quickly, and said with a stern face: "Mr. Song, take a look at this!" ”

Song Ziwen didn't take it seriously, and said, "Zhigong, you see that my tie is not bad." ”

"How can you have time to care about your tie," Shi Zhaoji said with an ugly face, "The Americans have gone back on their word!" ”

"What's going on?" Song Ziwen was shocked.

Shi Zhaoji took the diplomatic letter and said: "The negotiations have been canceled, and the US Foreign Ministry said that there is anything that can be communicated by telegram." ”

Song Ziwen was stunned, randomly ripped off his tie and smashed it on the floor, muttering repeatedly: "Too much bullying, too much bullying, too much bullying!" ”

It is indeed too deceitful, the US Foreign Department took the initiative to invite China to send representatives to negotiate, and the Chinese side has appointed a plenipotentiary minister.

"How so?" Song Ziwen said depressedly.

"It should have been the silver group that pressured Roosevelt, the previous price of $0.55 an ounce for silver was broken, and the Americans' promises became lies," Shi said. ”

Song Ziwen said: "Diplomacy is child's play, how can it go back on its word and change when it is said?" ”

Shi Zhaoji smiled bitterly: "Weak countries have no diplomacy. ”

Shi Zhaoji has seen too much of this kind of thing, he was in Europe at the beginning, and he was also treated as air when he came to the United States. It is a pity that his dignified Chinese minister to the United States has not been officially received by Roosevelt since he took office.

Not to mention Roosevelt, Shi Zhaoji usually has no matter what, even the US Foreign Minister can't see it, only the little minions of the US Foreign Ministry.

"What now?" Song Ziwen is at a loss.

Shi Zhaoji said: "Find Mr. Zhou, he made a big fuss, he should know how to end it." ”

Just when Song Ziwen went to New York to discuss with Zhou Hexuan, Kong Xiangxi suddenly played his cards out of common sense and sent an urgent telegram to the US Foreign Ministry: China is about to abandon the silver standard and peg the value of the currency to the US dollar. China is willing to sell 200 million ounces of silver to the United States in exchange for a $100 million U.S. loan to China and a standby credit of the same amount.

Well, Kong Xiangxi's meaning is very clear - doesn't the United States want to buy Chinese silver? OK. I exchanged silver for dollars, and then used dollars as a reserve for currency reform, and we both had a problem solved.

Zhou Hexuan, who was making trouble in the United States, could only express his feelings in three words when he heard the news: Mom sells batches!